Riff: Ellie Goulding – “Joy”

Stood in the rain and watched you go/I feel a lump in my throat

Channeling a little upper-register Houston in this pastoral-cum-explosive choir-backed hymn, all is uplifting until wising up to what she’s going on about. A dramatic rain scene, a lump in the throat, and a literal iteration of the song title all in the starting verse marred by more sad robot speak.

Riff by Gavin Paul

Gavin Paul is SONGLYRICS' Editor-in-Chief. Chicago-bred, New York-sculpted, his words and ideas have appeared in publications ranging from Spin and Rolling Stone to The Chicago Sun-Times and Arborist News.